On this episode of the Full-Court Finance podcast, Associate Stock Strategist Ben Rains breaks down Nike's new Bluetooth connected, self-lacing Adapt BB shoes before he dives into how they tie into the sportswear giant's overall digital growth plans.

TAIPEI/SHANGHAI, Jan 17 (Reuters) - One of China's top government-linked think tanks has called out Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and other foreign companies for not referring to Hong Kong and Taiwan as part of China in a report that provoked a stern reaction from Taipei. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) said in a report this month that 66 of the world's 500 largest companies had used "incorrect labels" for Taiwan and 53 had errors in the way they referred to Hong Kong, according to China's Legal Daily newspaper.

Tuesday ended better than it started, with the S&P 500 advancing 1.07% for the day. The quick recovery erases most of the doubts raised by Monday's modest stall.
Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) did more than its fair share of the heavy lifting, gaining 6.5% after announcing it would be imposing price hikes. Investors chose to see the glass as half-full rather than half-empty, assuming subscribers will pay the new, higher rates rather than choose to cancel their service. Blue Apron Holdings (NYSE:APRN) investors enjoyed the bigger gain, however, as shares soared 45% after the company projected a swing to profit in 2019.
While most stocks were up, there were some notable losers. PG&E (NYSE:PCG) fell another 17.5% as the market continued to digest the ramifications of its bankruptcy filing. The latest chapter in the saga? The company failed to make its most recent payment due on its debt.
InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips
Between the December rout, the January bounce and now the advent of earnings season against a backdrop of a government shutdown, finding reliable trading setups is anything but easy. The stock charts of Gap (NYSE:GPS), American International Group (NYSE:AIG) and Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS), however, look like they're able to follow through on the hints they've dropped.
### Walt Disney (DIS)
If it had happened in another place under any other circumstances, it might not even be worth noting.
* 8 Dividend Stocks With Growth on the Horizon
But, where and how Walt Disney shares lost even just a little bit of ground yesterday sets the stage for more downside … as long as the broad market tide doesn't have other plans. The bears just have one more task to take care of.
Click to Enlarge• Tuesday's bar is in some ways an outside day, where the high and the low engulf Monday's range in its entirety. But, it was also an inside day in the sense that yesterday's open and close were both within Monday's open/close range. Both point to a change of heart.
• Underscoring the red flag of Tuesday's action is the fact that the bulls made five consecutive attempts to hurdle the gray 100-day moving average lines, but couldn't. The pullback unfurled on above-average volume too.
• Though another pullback today would put an exclamation point on the pivot, there's still a potential technical floor at $109 -- where the 20-day and 200-day moving average lines have converged -- that could be support.
### Gap (GPS)
A little over a week ago, Gap was featured as a stock trapped in a downtrend, unable to break out of the bearish rut even when the market's tide was bullish.
That has not changed in the meantime. In fact, the factors forcing it lower than have since solidified, pulling the stock lower. Even the floor of the bearish range that's taken shape since early last year, however, isn't terribly close (and it's falling fast).
Click to Enlarge • The ceilings in question are a combination of the purple 50-day moving average line, the blue 20-day moving average line and the straight-line ceiling plotted as a dashed line that has guided GPS shares lower for weeks now.
• Monday's retest of the 20-day average set up Tuesday's loss … making GPS one of only a few stocks that couldn't get traction yesterday.
• The next-best hope is the lower edge of the falling trading range, currently at $23.50 but falling fast.
### American International Group (AIG)
Most financial stocks are recovering from a brutal September, and American International Group is no exception to that trend. AIG is now doing something most of the others aren't, however, which suggests it may fare better from here than its peers will.
Click to Enlarge • Though still below average, the buying volume has not only been bullish, it has been growing. More buyers are coming to the table the higher it goes.
• Last week's cross of the purple 50-day moving average is also a key buy signal. Though most stocks have done well, AIG has logged eight consecutive days of gains, further suggesting the bulls are on a mission.
• Keep an eye on the $44.60 level, which was a ceiling in November and December, and could become resistance again. Above that level, the next plausible resistance is above $52.
As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley.
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The post 3 Big Stock Charts for Wednesday: Walt Disney, Gap and American International Group appeared first on InvestorPlace.

# Gap Inc
### NYSE:GPS
View full report here!
## Summary
* Perception of the company's creditworthiness is negative
* Bearish sentiment is moderate and increasing
* Economic output in this company's sector is expanding
## Bearish sentiment
Short interest | Neutral
Short interest is moderate for GPS with between 5 and 10% of shares outstanding currently on loan. This represents an increase in short interest as investors who seek to profit from falling equity prices added to their short positions on January 7.
## Money flow
ETF/Index ownership | Neutral
ETF activity is neutral. The net inflows of $11.88 billion over the last one-month into ETFs that hold GPS are not among the highest of the last year and have been slowing.
## Economic sentiment
PMI by IHS Markit | Positive
According to the latest IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, output in the Consumer Services sector is rising. The rate of growth is strong relative to the trend shown over the past year, and is accelerating.
## Credit worthiness
Credit default swap | Negative
The current level displays a negative indicator. GPS credit default swap spreads are near their highest levels for the past 1 year, which indicates the market's more negative perception of the company's credit worthiness.
Please send all inquiries related to the report to score@ihsmarkit.com.
Charts and report PDFs will only be available for 30 days after publishing.
This document has been produced for information purposes only and is not to be relied upon or as construed as investment advice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, IHS Markit disclaims any responsibility or liability, whether in contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence), equity or otherwise, for any loss or damage arising from any reliance on or the use of this material in any way. Please view the full legal disclaimer and methodology information on pages 2-3 of the full report.

Under Armour’s 2019 Growth Prospects
(Continued from Prior Part)
## Forward PE multiples
On January 10, Under Armour’s (UAA) 12-month forward PE ratio was 58.4x. It’s trading at a higher PE multiple than its peers.
Nike (NKE), Columbia Sportswear (COLM), Skechers (SKX), and Gap (GPS) have PE ratios of ~26.0x, 20.1x, 12.5x, and 9.6x, respectively.
## EPS projections for Under Armour
For 2018, Wall Street analysts expect Under Armour’s adjusted EPS to increase 15.8% YoY to $0.22. For 2018, Under Armour’s management forecast its adjusted EPS at $0.21–$0.22. Earlier, it guided for adjusted EPS of $0.19–$0.22. Increases in sales could offer support to the bottom line amid rising expenses.
For 2018, Under Armour’s management expects the year-end inventory to be down in a mid-single-digit rate. Also, driven by restructuring measures undertaken in 2017 and 2018, Under Armour projects annual savings of $200 million from 2019 to 2023.
For 2019, analysts expect the company’s adjusted EPS to rise 50% YoY to $0.33.
## A look at EPS projections for peers
Analysts expect Nike’s adjusted EPS to rise 10.5% YoY to $2.64 in fiscal 2019. For fiscal 2020, its EPS are expected to increase by 18.6% YoY to $3.13.
For Columbia Sportswear, analysts’ adjusted EPS growth estimate for fiscal 2018 stands at 21.5% to $3.62. For fiscal 2019, its EPS are forecast to rise 12.4% to $4.07.
For fiscal 2018, Wall Street projects that Skechers’ adjusted EPS will increase 3.8% to $1.85. For fiscal 2019, its EPS are expected to rise 8.0% to $1.99.
For Gap’s fiscal 2018, analysts project EPS to be up 20.2% to $2.56, and for fiscal 2019, EPS is forecast to increase 3.5% to $2.65.
Browse this series on Market Realist:
* Part 1 - What to Expect from Under Armour’s 2019 Revenue Growth
* Part 2 - Will Under Armour’s Margin and Bottom Line Impress in 2019?
* Part 3 - What Wall Street Analysts Are Saying for Under Armour

According to GuruFocus' list of 52-week lows, these guru stocks have reached their 52-week lows. The price of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) shares has declined to close to the 52-week low of $125.94, which is 23.5% off the 52-week high of $158.80. The company has a market cap of $45.7 billion.

Target (TGT) posted impressive comparable sales growth during the vital November and December holiday shopping period that helps show that its innovations to fight off Amazon's (AMZN) encroachment have paid off.

What You Can Expect for L Brands in 2019
(Continued from Prior Part)
## Margins numbers
For the first three quarters of 2018, L Brands’ (LB) gross margin contracted by 240 basis points to 35.0% due to the lower gross margin at Victoria’s Secret. L Brands has seen a deceleration in its merchandise margins for Victoria’s Secret, mainly due to higher promotions. However, Bath and Body Works’ gross margin improved for the first three quarters of 2018 due to higher merchandise margins and leverage achieved in buying and occupancy costs.
However, selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses have risen in 2018. For the first three quarters, SG&A expenses rose 14.5% year-over-year or YoY. It’s facing higher selling expenses at Bath and Body Works due to increased sales volumes and higher wages. Expenses are also rising due to expansion in China. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expenses rate expanded by 180 basis points to 29.7%.
Due to higher expenses, operating profit decreased 41.0% YoY to $437.3 million. Operating margin shrank by 430 basis points to 5.2% for the first nine months of 2018.
## EPS numbers
As a result, L Brands EPS for the first three quarters of 2018 was $0.37, decreasing 66.7% YoY. Higher expenses and a substantial decrease in other income dented the bottom-line performance in 2018 despite lower taxes.
In the fourth quarter, L Brands’ management expects its EPS in the range of $1.90–$2.10. However, for 2018, its adjusted EPS are estimated to be $2.60–$2.80.
Analysts forecast fourth-quarter adjusted EPS to decline 4.3% to $2.02. For 2018, Wall Street analysts expect L Brands adjusted EPS to fall 15.6% YoY to $2.70, and for fiscal 2019, adjusted EPS are projected to increase 1.1% to $2.73.
## L Brands’ dividend plans
L Brands slashed its dividend by 50% in November. L Brands plans to channel the $325 million in savings from the reduction in dividend toward deleveraging its balance sheet. The annualized dividend now stands at $1.20.
L Brands dividend yield was 8.5%, based on its January 8 closing price of $28.20. The dividend yields for Gap (GPS), Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), and American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) stood at 3.8%, 3.8%, and 2.8%, respectively.
Browse this series on Market Realist:
* Part 1 - What Wall Street Recommends for L Brands
* Part 2 - Comparing L Brands’ PE Multiple with Peers’
* Part 3 - Will L Brands’ Top-Line Performance Impress in 2019?

What You Can Expect for L Brands in 2019
## On the sidelines
As of January 8, of the 29 analysts covering L Brands (LB) stock, 28% recommend a “buy” and 10% have a “sell” rating. 62% have retained their “hold” ratings for L Brands’ stock.
L Brands is one of the leading names in the US intimate apparel space. The performance of its Bath & Body Works brand and Victoria’s Secret beauty line remains robust. However, weakness in its signature Victoria’s Secret and Pink lingerie businesses has kept investors and analysts worried.
Given the troubles, L Brands’ stock was down 57.4% in 2018. As of January 8, the stock has gained 9.9%. It last closed trading at $28.20.
In January so far, we’ve seen four price target changes for L Brands. On January 2, Wells Fargo slashed its price target to $50.00 from $55.00. Baird lowered its to $34.00. On January 7, UBS lowered its price target to $27.00 from $34.00. J.P. Morgan cut the price target to $29.00 from $34.00.
At present, analysts’ 12-month average price target for L Brands stock is $34.98, which reflects 24.0% upside to the stock price on January 8.
## Ratings for other apparel retailers
Of the 16 analysts covering Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), 25.0% have “buy” ratings while 44.0% have “hold” ratings. On January 2, Baird cut its price target on ANF to $22.00. Currently, analysts’ target price for ANF is $20.46, reflecting a potential 2.3% downside to the stock’s price as of January 8.
For American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), 63.0% of the 16 analysts covering the stock have given it “buy” ratings while 25.0% have given it a “hold.” For American Eagle Outfitters, the mean target price is $23.80, which implies a potential 20.5% upside. On January 7, UBS reduced the price target to $28.00 from $31.00 earlier.
Of the 25 analysts covering the Gap (GPS) stock, 12.0% have “buy” ratings while 76.0% have “hold” ratings. The Gap’s mean target price is $29.45, which indicates a potential 16.8% upside to its stock price. On January 7, UBS lowered its price target to $26.50 from $28.00. J.P. Morgan cut its price target to $24.00 from $25.00.
Continue to Next Part
Browse this series on Market Realist:
* Part 2 - Comparing L Brands’ PE Multiple with Peers’
* Part 3 - Will L Brands’ Top-Line Performance Impress in 2019?
* Part 4 - A Look at L Brands’ Margin and Bottom-Line Expectations

# Gap Inc
### NYSE:GPS
View full report here!
## Summary
* Perception of the company's creditworthiness is negative
* ETFs holding this stock are seeing positive inflows
* Bearish sentiment is moderate and increasing
* Economic output in this company's sector is expanding
## Bearish sentiment
Short interest | Neutral
Short interest is moderate for GPS with between 5 and 10% of shares outstanding currently on loan. This represents an increase in short interest as investors who seek to profit from falling equity prices added to their short positions on January 7.
## Money flow
ETF/Index ownership | Positive
ETF activity is positive. Over the last month, growth of ETFs holding GPS is favorable, with net inflows of $21.57 billion. This is among the highest net inflows seen over the last one-year and the rate of additional inflows appears to be increasing.
## Economic sentiment
PMI by IHS Markit | Positive
According to the latest IHS Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, output in the Consumer Services sector is rising. The rate of growth is strong relative to the trend shown over the past year, and is accelerating.
## Credit worthiness
Credit default swap | Negative
The current level displays a negative indicator. Although GPS credit default swap spreads are decreasing, they are near their highest levels for the past 1 year, which indicates the market's more negative perception of the company's credit worthiness.
Please send all inquiries related to the report to score@ihsmarkit.com.
Charts and report PDFs will only be available for 30 days after publishing.
This document has been produced for information purposes only and is not to be relied upon or as construed as investment advice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, IHS Markit disclaims any responsibility or liability, whether in contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence), equity or otherwise, for any loss or damage arising from any reliance on or the use of this material in any way. Please view the full legal disclaimer and methodology information on pages 2-3 of the full report.

Banana Republic announced that the company is bringing back the Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissent collar that the Supreme Court Justice has been known for in recent years.
The apparel retailer -- which is owned by Gap (NYSE:GPS) -- first released the collar back in 2012 in honor of Supreme Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She's had it since that same year when she received it in a gift bag at Glamour's Woman of the Year event, and Ginsburg has worn it on Supreme Court decisions that she has not agreed with.
It became known as the dissent collar after she told Katie Couric that it was "fitting for dissents." Ginsburg -- who was recently hospitalized and went through surgery to get two cancerous lumps removed from her lung -- also wore the collar the day after President Trump's inauguration.
InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips
Banana Republic said that it would be releasing the Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissent collar once again in support of the American Civil Liberties Union's Women's Rights Project. You can get the necklace for $98, which will help to support the project as half of the proceeds will go towards it.
Ginsburg co-founded the movement back in 1972 with the goal of advocating for gender neutrality and helping to eliminate discrimination against women. You can find the necklaces available for pre-sale online and they will eventually be shipped to you starting on Jan. 15.
GPS stock is down about 4% on Tuesday following the news.
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The post Banana Republic's Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dissent Collar Necklace Returns appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Any doubters who got out of the stock market on Thursday -- or worse, shorted stocks in the midst of that weakness -- were blindsided on Friday. The S&P 500 jumped 3.43% on the last day of last week, bolstering the argument that the market is ready to recover.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) set the tone and the pace, bouncing back from Thursday's plunge with a 4.3% rebound. As it turns out, investors aren't quite so sure the company's in dire straits after all. Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) had the bigger and better day, however, advancing 9.7% after Goldman Sachs said the recent pullback was a buying opportunity.
Losers were few and far between, though among the most noteworthy was Cue Biopharma (NASDAQ:CUE). Shares of the biotech stock tumbled 6.3%, though traders are still looking for a specific reason for the selling. So far, it can only be chalked up to volatility.
InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips
While the big day on Friday certainly positions most stocks for more bullishness this week, the weekend and the sheer scope of the recent gains still poses the risk of profit-taking. Fortunately, stocks charts of Gap (NYSE:GPS), Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) and CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) look well positioned to move into trends regardless of what the broad market does, after several days of jockeying.
### Boston Scientific (BSX)
In the middle of 2018, Boston Scientific looked unstoppable. Shares were not only in rally mode, they had broken past a major technical ceiling that had defined an uptrend that goes back to 2015.
* 10 Oversold Stocks Due for a Bounce
In retrospect though, that big run-up looks like it was only a setup for an even bigger corrective move. That's now well underway, but hardly complete yet.
Click to Enlarge • BSX shares managed to pop back above the 200-day moving average line, plotted in white as of Friday, but one day doesn't bring the stock all the way back from that cliff's edge.
• The most plausible downside target is a pullback to the same support line that's tagged all the major lowers going back to 2015. That level is currently at $29.00, but rising fast.
• Any major bottom should also coincide with a stochastic indicator falling all the way below 20, and an RSI indicator that gets near there. That's the condition we saw take shape with past lows that led to recovery rallies.
### CenterPoint Energy (CNP)
The 1.9% advance utility name CenterPoint Energy logged on Friday actually trailed the broad market's gain. But that gain is part of a much bigger breakout thrust effort that the broad market can't boast right now. It's unlikely we'll see a straight shot past the make-or-break technical ceiling ahead, but the slow bullish momentum is still well-established momentum.
Click to Enlarge • The pivotal line is right around $29, plotted in blue on both stock charts. CenterPoint Energy shares have actually been above that mark since 2017, but not in a "normal" scenario.
• It's evident on the daily chart, but more evident on the weekly chart that the $27/$29 span has been a trading range. The consolidation between those two lines has set the stage for a prolonged advance of $29 can be cleared.
• Underscoring the bullish argument is the fact that CenterPoint is one of the few stocks with all key moving average lines sloped upward rather than downward. It's an indication of bullishness in multiple timeframes.
### Gap (GPS)
Just because a stock loses ground on a day that the overall market moves higher doesn't inherently make that name un-ownable. On the other hand, any stock that isn't swept higher in a bullish charge likes Friday's can and should raise eyebrows.
Gap is such a name, falling 1.6% on Friday and extending a well-established downtrend.
Click to Enlarge • Friday's loss wasn't just an erroneous slide. It was a high-volume selloff that dragged Gap shares back under the falling 20-day moving average, which is one of several moving average lines that have steered the stock lower for months.
• Notice that all the key moving average lines made bearish crosses between July and September.
• Zooming out to a weekly chart we can see Friday's weakness is part of a well-defined downtrend that extends back to early last year. Since then, their divergences have widened.
As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. You can follow him on Twitter, at @jbrumley.
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The post 3 Stock Charts for Monday: Gap, CenterPoint Energy and Boston Scientific appeared first on InvestorPlace.

The Trump administration recently expressed its intention to end federal tax credits for electric vehicles, which was received with widespread discontent by environmental activists, as it could slow down the consumer migration from gasoline cars to the ‘greener' electric vehicles. Norway, which had provided electric car adopters with various incentives like using dedicated bus lanes and reduced tolls, found itself in a spot when electric cars started clogging up bus lanes, with buses reaching their destinations late.

Futures Collapse After Biggest Dow Up Day Ever, But Not By Percentage And down again we go. Bear market rallies are notoriously intense, but also notoriously short. Yesterday’s rally of over 1,000 points in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSEARCA:DIA) may end up only lasting a single day, as futures are down again this morning […]
The post Market Morning: Futures Back Down, Shorts Cover, Chesapeake Explodes, Newmont Bucks S&P 500 appeared first on Market Exclusive.

Gap is getting ready to move out of its massive store on Fifth Avenue in New York. The apparel retailer recently said it's considering shuttering hundreds of locations "aggressively" to focus on higher-performing shops. Gap GPS is getting ready to move out of its massive store on Fifth Avenue in New York, as the apparel retailer recently said it's considering shuttering hundreds of locations "aggressively" to focus on higher-performing shops.